Puzzle.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. l

CHARLES W. FRAIM, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,697,'dated December23, 1902. Application filed October 10, 1902. flerial No. 126,793. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. FRAIM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and usefulimprovements in puzzles;and the purpose of the sameis to provide a device of this class of asimple and effective construction which will be amusing andrequire'skill and ingenuity to arrive at its solution.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of theseveral parts, which will be more fully hereinafter-described andclaimed.

1n the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a puzzleembodying thefeatures of the invention. Figl2 is a horizontal section of the same.Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken in a plane to one side ofthe center on the line 8 3, Fig. 2.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

The numerals 1 and 2 designate centrallyintersecting verticalpartitions, which are immovably secured to each other by suitable means,and the one end of the partition 1 is formed with an angular flange 3.Each of the partitions has a pair of openings 4 therein, which arelocated above the lower edge of the same. Both partitions are ofequalvertical extent, and where they intersect are slotted to cause themto more firmly interlock. The connected partitions are surrounded by acircular shell or casing 5, havingupper and lower inturned angularflanges 6, between which and the upper and lower edges of the saidpartitions are top and bottom glass plates 7', which give fullview tothe interior of the puzzle. The ends of the partitions 1 and 2, andparticularly the flanged end 3 of the partition 1, are secured totheinner surface of the shell'or casing 5, and to render the puzzlestructure more strong and durable it is preferably entirely formed ofmetal, except the plates 7.

In the assemblage ofthe parts the one edge of the shell or casing 5 isfirst flanged and the one plate and the interlocked partitions aredisposed therein and secured by the use of solder or other similarmaterial applicable for the purpose. Before the puzzle is completelysealed a number of small balls or shot are introduced in one of thecells constructed by the intersecting partitions in relation to thesurrounding shell or casing, and the remaining glass plate is thenplaced on the still open end of the puzzle and the opposite edge of theshell or casing is flanged over said plate, to thereby fully seal thepuzzle to prevent access to the interior thereof. In this condition thepuzzle is ready for solution.

The solution of the puzzle consists in manipulating the same in suchmanner as to cause the balls or shot to be thrown or passed through theopenings 4 until each cell shall contain one ball, as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 2, and in view of the elevation of the openings atabove the bottom edges of the par-.

titions or at an equal distance from both the upper and lower edges ofsaid partitions considerable ingenuity will be required on the part ofthe operator to cause the balls or shot to pass through the saidopenings. During the solution of the puzzle it may be turned in anyposition, and a source of amusement is provided at a minimum cost, as itis preferred to form the partitions and shell or cas ing of tin or othercheap sheet metal.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is- Apuzzle, comprising a surrounding shell or casing of circular form,intersecting par- ;titions secured: to the casing and forming a seriesof four cells, the said partitions extending fully to opposite ends ofthe casing and the portions thereof between each two cellshaving-openings therethrough, all of equal diameter and located atequaldistances from upper and lower edges of the partitions,

transparent plates interposed between the opposite edges of the shell orcasing and the 5 ends of the partitions, and a series of balls withinthe casing corresponding in number to the number of cells formed by thepartitions. 1 y

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. FRAIM.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. REED, JAMES H. JOHNSON.

